Saturday, April 25, 2009

From our brainstorming sessions the students came up with wild and wooley ideas, from a hundred-legged giraffe to a bevy of butterflies; there were ninjas, (natch) and troupes of tromping T-Rex; Ms. Gregerson even ended up in a drawing as a parachutist.

Thanks, kids, for giving this author/ illustrator so much enthusiasm and for charging into our group stories, then diving into your awesome pictures with original thinking. Thank you, Mr. Goodwin, for cultivating a love of reading in your students.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Sweet Susi and I went for a walk this afternoon through the woods and by the yuppie yurts and hippie tipis. Our son, Jesse was surfing at the coast earlier today. The winds that whoomped his waves have found their way along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Port Townsend where they blustered and danced around us.

Without fail, when we go for these walks, it puts everything in perspective. If I am bummed, or sore, or depressed, or drooling in the mucky-muck of a self piteous mantra, then a walk is just the thing. I notice the fecundity of life everywhere, from the cirrus clouds way up, to zooming bitsy bugs going about bug business, (or bug love). Like John Muir said, we are all going around the sun together, and we need to be reminded of the big picture.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Sometimes to clear my head, I fill it with rocks. A walk onthe beach, ah! the air.... I find rocks shaped by time: wind, river, glacier, water, abrasion. Each rock tells me a story of a mind-bendingly long journey. I feel them in my hand, explore their shape, and we play together, fitting one on top of another.

At first, they won't balance, no way, unless you just put flat rock on flat.

But let them pirouette, teach them to stand en pointe. They just love it. But you have to be patient. As in life, it takes time to find balance.

Try it this way...nope, how about like this?...nope. like this? Crash! O.K., dude, what about here?...Steady, steady, wait right here...

There you go, hold still...not hardly...hold, hold, stay...stay...(I can't even make a collie stay...)Wait, are we there? have we found your center of gravity? Have I found mine? Yes? voila! She stays. Or he. Or it...

Balance. Fragile, yes. Touch the stack and it falls over. This is affordable therapy for me. Healing.

A way to put life in perspective. I heard about a courtyard in China where people dip their brushes in water and write on the rock or cement beneath their feet. They tell their troubleswith bold or timid strokes. Then their prayers eventually evaporate up into heaven.

About Me

I am the servant of my cats. Also an artist, author, and illustrator. I can almost fly around at will. Actually, when I folk dance I do fly. My first picture book for children was published in 1986, and I have been making books ever since. Somehow I married one of the world's greatest treasures. My world is filled with kids, grandkids, dogs, cats, rabbits, robots, dinosaurs, and fairies. Really. I believe with all my heart that we can make a difference in this world. It starts with giving, forgiving, and living out love. You know, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Making art can be a part of making a better world. Dostoevsky said, "The world will be saved by beauty."